Death Calls

by Al K. Line

  My vision flickered, one minute my living room, what was left of it, the next an infinite shore, staring out at the lake and its vast emptiness, visions of roiling skies and the never-ending pebble-strewn beach I could walk for eternity.

  And the souls, oh the souls. Millions of them, more than I could fathom. People of all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, empty of mind, just standing and waiting for somebody to help them deal with their problem, read their lives and send them on their way.

  All those memories, all those emotions, all the guilt and shame, the joy and laughter of countless lives, it all had to be dealt with and on and on it would go, over and over, no end in sight. An eternity of other people's crap to wade through and then at some point I'd be back here, like it had never happened, but it would have, and I would be a broken man.

  "No," I shouted, snapping back to reality, feeling as solid as ever. "I may be daft, but I'm not insane." No way was I going there. This time I meant it.

  Come On!

  "Make your mind up, Arthur," Vicky shouted above the maelstrom, smiling at me with love and understanding.

  "How could I possibly leave all this?" I hollered, grinning despite the seriousness of the situation.

  The dark dude howled with excitement at the chance to get what he'd came for, but with my return to solidity came my magic. I was of this world now and magic might not be what citizens could harness, but it was of this place. I stuffed the book hastily into the backpack and slung it over my shoulder, keeping an eye on the man whilst devising a cunning plan.

  Magic built inside me, pent-up frustration combined with deadly intent that was purged in a protective bubble that pushed his feelers back, and gave him a blast as a taster of what was to come. The black smoke spread out around the curved dome that shielded all three of us as Vicky and Jake moved cautiously to stand beside me.

  "I'm glad you're staying. I don't want you to be a gibbering wreck."

  "You could have said something. I know you saved me before, but I thought you wanted me to do this."

  "I did, but only because you'd be straight back, and, er, I assumed you had no choice, not really."

  "Oh, ye of little faith. Okay, new plan. We kill the bad guy, then run away. Deal?"

  "Deal." Vicky and I shook.

  "Jake?"

  Jake drew his attention away from the intruder and stared at my outstretched hand. "Huh?"

  "I said, deal?"

  "Yeah, sure." Jake and I shook. "Um, is he like an evil wizard or something?"

  "Yes, that's exactly what he is. An evil wizard who will turn you to goo unless you're careful, so stay close and do not steal anything."

  "Me!? C'mon, Wiz, I told you, I'm a new man."

  "Whatever. And do not, ever, call me Wiz again. Idiot."

  I focused on the man who was now right up against the shield, his smoke spreading until it covered the invisible curve, as if searching for a way in. Already I was faltering, knew I couldn't maintain this for long, so I made sure to step in front of Jake and Vicky and without fanfare I dropped the shield. As the smoke sped forth, I raised both hands and forced my will to coalesce from my entire being and focus in my hands.

  They felt like they were burning, like fire had already consumed flesh and was now gnawing through bone and soon I would be known as Mr. Stumpy, the wizard with no hands.

  But it was all good, a sensation I had grown accustomed to and relished because it meant one thing. I was awesome!

  A veritable torrent of wondrous magic erupted from my trembling fingertips in arcs that forked and forked again, flaring fluorescent purple as it looked cool against the black, and hit like spears right at my foe. He staggered back under the onslaught, his own magic meaning he wasn't dead instantly. But I knew my power, and I sensed his, and like so many of these pretenders, it was more for show than truly adept. He was cocooned in a layer of protection from wards hardly up to the task, and whatever the ink circling his head was meant to do, it was no match for my will born of frustration and stubbornness.

  I clenched my jaw and redoubled my efforts, pushing with all I had, forcing magic up and out with utter focus. This was life and death, mine, and I had finally made up my mind. I would not return, I would stay and the universe could take care of itself.

  Selfish? Maybe, but I understood that I would fail at this task and knew deep down there was something I was missing. There was another way and I wasn't seeing it. A solution to this problem and I merely needed the time to discover what it was.

  The dark wizard seemed to get his act together after the initial shock of me not caving, and he shimmered silver as he increased his wards and my magic spread out either side of the shield he fortified.

  Our eyes locked, and there was a grudging respect on both our parts. This was no cowboy pretender as I'd first assumed, he was the real deal, a man immersed in the dark powers, able to harness them to a degree, but serious, intent, and most important, unafraid.

  That's where most magic users are let down. They have the power but are scared to unleash it, or too fearful to square off against enemies. They bottle it and then they are beaten. This dude wasn't going to scarper, he was in this until he got what he wanted.

  Tough, because although I wasn't ready to shake off the mortal coil, I wasn't about to give him the book.

  With a shrug of my shoulders, and knowing it made no difference now as I'd definitely be claiming on the insurance for the mess, I relaxed and the magic halted.

  "Haha, you cannot beat me," shouted the dark wizard with spiteful glee.

  "Oh, guess I should leave then," I shouted back, and then, feeling all sneaky like, I shot my arms upward and let loose with wild abandon, blasting the ceiling for all I was worth.

  Lath and plaster and then joists followed by floorboards and several heavy old wardrobes full of my spare clothes came crashing down on top of the unsuspecting fool before he could do much of anything apart from freak out for a moment.

  He was buried and, dead or not, he wasn't getting up before we got out.

  "Let's go," I said, grabbing Vicky and edging along the wall as more bits of house crashed down into the room.

  "Wait for me," said Jake as the entire upper floor collapsed into the living room, making it exceedingly unlikely the dark wizard had made it.

  We got out into the hallway before getting killed, always a bonus, and there to greet us was Gavin.

  "Hey, Gavin, nice of you to drop in."

  "Time's up," he said, and then he swung at me. With my own gate post! The bloody nerve.

  Several Issues

  Without time to block the swing, I let Grace handle the blow by boosting the magic slightly. Gavin grunted as he swung and then the momentum simply stopped as the post hit Grace. I didn't feel a thing. He dropped the post as the inertia sent shockwaves up his arms, almost breaking the bones.

  Taking advantage of the reaction, I punched him in the face then pushed him out the front door where he tripped over the threshold and went flying, only to end up splayed out on the path on a pile of bricks.

  We dashed past him, not even pausing to boot him in the ribs. Neighbors were out in force, lined up along the low hedge and staring in horror at the mess of my house.

  "Had a bit of an explosion," I shouted as we ran off down the street away from the chaos.

  "Where to?" asked Vicky, skipping along having the time of her life.

  "To the car. Um, did we drive? Where did I park?"

  "The other way, mate," said Jake, looking at me funny.

  "Oh, right. Come on then, what are you waiting for?" I turned around and legged it back the way we'd come, nodding at the gawpers as we ran past. Guess we looked kinda odd running around like that, but now wasn't the time to worry about what the neighbors thought.

  Gavin was up and he lunged for me as we passed by, but I brushed him aside and kept going. As we pushed past the small crowd, I heard a collective gasp and turned to see the pile of house and furniture in my living room explode up an
d out. A man emerged. A very dusty, very bloody man who looked less than amused by having a house fall on him.

  "Better be quick," I said, and redoubled my efforts to escape this utter carnage.

  Vicky and Jake sped ahead, leaving me to play catch-up. I was fast losing steam, out of energy and out of ideas, but something would turn up, it usually did.

  "Change of plan," I called ahead and they both slowed so we ran alongside each other.

  "What is it?" asked Vicky.

  "This is no good, we can't keep chasing around the city like this. This has to end and I think I know how to do it."

  "How?"

  "All in good time, grasshopper. Let's go to the park. It's where so much of this began and I think it might be where I can finish it."

  We slowed a little so we could keep the pace up until we reached the large park in the city where what felt like a lifetime ago I'd had a meeting with one of the heads of Cerberus before he eventually got very dead. It was when so much seemed to change in my life, when I went from being an ace wizard thief to one entangled in the vampires' business and on Cerberus' radar, and getting embroiled in so much nonsense it made my head spin. Not that life was ever quiet before, but the last few years had been wild and then some.

  Now people were after the book, and for once it was neither Cerberus nor vampires but new enemies, and yet I felt it symbolic, somehow apt that we should end this where so much had begun.

  As I tried to keep running, I wondered how come Cerberus and the vampires were so quiet about all this nonsense. Because events had moved so fast, that was why. It was only a day, no time for everyone to understand the importance of what was happening or what I had in my possession. Soon enough that would change, so this had to be done now before I had every magical user and every artifact collector in the world on my tail after the most prized possession in all of human history, magical or otherwise.

  And besides, I needed to get away from populated areas. This was becoming a risky business, what with the blasting and the falling down of houses, so open spaces were preferable to protect the citizens. The Hat's all about civic responsibility.

  It felt like we ran through the night, but it must have been ten minutes or so. It's amazing how far you can travel when you're running away from so many bad guys.

  Jake wasn't faring too well by the time we arrived. He may have been good at doing a runner but he had no stamina, and this game was all about endurance. Vicky was hardly out of breath, and she stood on the grass looking proud of herself, waiting for me to commend her on her fitness levels. She could carry on waiting, I had more important things to consider. Like my future, or seeming lack of it.

  As to the plan?

  Yeah, your guess is as good as mine. I had nothing. Honestly, I don't know what I was thinking, or not thinking. I was merely drawn to this place, had that sixth wizard sense calling me to the open where I had skies above and real ground beneath my feet. Not concrete and asphalt that many city-dwellers spent their whole lives pounding, never feeling connected to nature and the real, visceral, raw natural world all around them.

  I'm a country boy at heart, and if this was to be the end, then I would go out standing on grass, not cracked concrete.

  A Crowd Gathers

  "Um, this may not have been such a great idea," I moaned as I tried to look everywhere at once. Coming from both directions along the path that skirted the large lake were various figures clad in variations on a single theme. Black cloaks, black capes, black whatever flowed dramatically. Yes, they liked black. Dark arts practitioners, a handful from each side at least.

  "You may be right," said Vicky sounding nervous as she looked up the rise of the grassy hill toward the car park where Gavin was taking his time moving toward us carefully, ever vigilant, as concerned by the black wizards as the rest of us.

  "Damn, you guys aren't very popular, are you?" said Jake helpfully. I clenched my fist and just about stopped myself from smacking him one just because he was so damn annoying.

  "Anyone else?" I shouted to the sky. "Sasha, you got me into some trouble this time. It isn't even all my fault." I looked down at Vicky who snickered. "What?"

  "It's all your fault. It always is."

  "Apart from when it's yours, you mean?"

  Vicky scratched at her neck and glanced away. "Maybe," she mumbled.

  The book went haywire, wriggling about like it was as uncomfortable as we were with all the unwanted attention. It jabbed into my back like I was being assaulted by a brick, moving this way and that until I couldn't stand it any longer.

  "Fine," I sighed, and moved the backpack carefully off my shoulder then pulled out the Death Book.

  Everything went silent, everything went still. The evil wizards stopped their menacing approach, even ceased snarling and mumbling about what they'd do to each other—they didn't get on, hated other dark magic wizards. They held their breath, not a flicker of movement, Gavin the same halfway down the hill.

  All eyes were on the book. Everyone either wanted it or wanted it gone.

  "Bloody thing," I muttered, then held it up high to get it away from me as it kept pounding like it had a beating heart and it was truly freaking me out.

  Like He-Man lifting his sword high and the need for drama upon me, black clouds roiled, obscuring the hazy moon completely, and thunder boomed across the lake.

  Goddamn! I'd come here because of the bloody lake! Because it was like the other place, not for any other reason. What did that mean? That I wanted this, or that it wanted me? Lightning struck my outstretched arm and the book flared as bright as the massive energy surge that almost frazzled me. I dropped my arm in shock, fingers still wrapped tight around the leather, wishing it had been incinerated. No such luck, and if anything, the jolt of lightning had given it more life, imbued it with energy.

  Like an extension of my own emotions, I experienced the struggle inside the pages.

  It was trying to open.

  It wanted to open.

  It had to open.

  "Goddammit!" I crouched down and let it drop to the grass on the edge of the path. Immediately the book flipped through the pages, hundreds, thousands, millions of them. Each covered in tiny scrawl, each a name, each a person in their own right. Many crossed out, many more to come. Guess it meant the future was still bright, that for this many names to still have lives meant a long future for humanity so maybe I hadn't screwed up after all.

  I sensed a presence, and looked up only to find all the numpty wizards peering down at the book, Gavin too. Vicky and Jake were crouched beside me, watching.

  Nobody spoke, everyone gasped, and a few menacing looking dudes even oohed and aahed which would have been comical if not for the fact they wanted to steal it but knew now wasn't the time to try anything foolish.

  And then my pocket ripped open.

  Which isn't that dramatic a way to finish a chapter, unless you recall what hid inside.

  No, not Wand.

  Oh-Oh

  As my pocket tore, so the book flipped through a chunk of pages at once and slammed open with a boom louder than thunder. Everyone gasped and jumped back, including me, and then, all animosity forgotten for a moment, we all peered at the open pages.

  Arthur Salzman, that's what the pages said. And there, or not there, in the bottom corner, was a piece missing. Guess what came dancing through the air like a delicate butterfly?

  The tiny sliver of gossamer-thin paper with my name on it, and crossed out no less, fluttered above the page and settled down gently like a feather landing. It hit the paper and a tiny jolt of magic highlighted the edges silver. It slotted perfectly into place then sealed up like it had never been damaged.

  "Guess that's it then," I said. "Time for me to go."

  "No, don't go, Arthur," wailed Vicky as she clutched my arm and acted all dramatic like.

  "What the hell are you doing? I'll see you in a minute. Hopefully."

  "Thought you'd appreciate the drama," she said, winking.
I liked Vicky, I really did.

  "Thanks." I gave her a peck on the cheek then turned to Jake. "Get a grip, dude, I mean it."

  "I will, but this isn't over yet." And with that, Jake grabbed the book and bulldozed his way though the amassed baddies.

  There was uproar. Everyone was in a panic, not knowing what to do, but as they gave chase, Gavin, Vicky, and I remained where we were.

  "It doesn't matter, right?" I asked Gavin.

  "Nope," he said, shaking his head.

  We were right, because several seconds later Jake came dashing back toward us with a load of angry wizards shouting at him, the book out in front of him, him hanging on for dear life, and I realized his feet were off the ground.

  The damn ledger slammed into my chest, followed by Jake, and we all landed in a heap on the freezing grass. Undignified, that's what it was.

  "Oops, sorry. Can't blame a guy for trying."

  "Guess not," I said, pushing his elbow from my nether regions.

  "Time to go, Arthur," said Gavin, not unkindly.

  "Suppose it is." I held the book and got to my feet, then helped Jake up.

  I felt everything go all wibbly wobbly and began to feel depressed, so knew it was time. With a weak smile at Vicky, I watched my body become translucent and then, just like that, I was gone.

  Huh?

  But, and no surprise here, it wasn't as simple as that.

  As I opened my eyes, figuring I may as well get this over with and begin my long, arduous, boring work, I was surprised to find not only Vicky, but Jake and Gavin standing beside me on the pebble beach.

  None of us wore the garb of Death, none of us held a scythe, and the book was hovering uncertainly several feet above the ground.

  With a crack of thunder, the familiar small table slammed down into the ground, dust billowing, then the inkwell and quill arrived. Four small chairs plonked down at each side of the table.

  With what amounted to glee, the book leaped up and settled like a dog ensuring its bed was comfortable for the night.